Sri Lanka’s successful captain in the post-Muralitharan era, Tillakaratne Dilshan has submitted his resignation as captain of the national team to Chairman of the National Selection Committee with immediate effect.
“Dilshan has resigned as captain in all three formats of the game. Members of the Executive committee take this opportunity to thank Dilshan for his commitment and dedication during his tenure as the National Captain. We also wish him well as he continues to represent Sri Lanka as a National Player,” a note from Sri Lanka Cricket, the governing body, said.
Mahela new captain
Mahela Jayawardene will replace Dilshan as the new captain, while Angelo Mathews has been retained vice-captain.
Sri Lanka Cricket said the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had approved the National squad for the forthcoming triangular series in Australia. The team: Mahela Jayawardene ( Captain ), Angelo Mathews ( Vice Captain ), Upul Tharanga, T.M.Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisira Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayaka, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chamara Welegedera, Dhammika Prasad. Stand by:Thilan Samaraweera.
Earlier, the selectors had appointed Dilshan as captain till the end of the South Africa series. Though Sri Lanka lost the series, Dilshan led the team to its first test win in the post-Murali era. In the five-match ODI series too, but for a rain interruption in the third ODI, the result could have been better than the 2-3 drubbing that it got at the hands of the South Africans.
The opening batsman, who was appointed as the team’s captain in all three formats of the game in April last year, came under severe criticism after Sri Lanka failed to win anything substantial since making it to the World Cup final last year.
“We may have lost the series, but I’m very happy with how we finished it off after such a poor start,” he said, after Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa ended. “The way we finished is a very big positive looking ahead,” he added.
Once again, Sri Lankan cricket is on the job of disbanding the whole set up and building a new one. A new selection committee is in place, and national coach Marsh too is on his way out, going by media reports here.
